Why Was Mr. Rogers Trending in the Aftermath of the Tragic Manchester Bombing?

Monday’s devastating terror attack in Manchester that left 22 concertgoers dead and 59 wounded sparked an international outpouring of grief and sympathy. In the hours and days following the attack, a popular quote from everybody’s favorite “neighbor,” Fred Rogers, began circulating on social media:

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” To this day, especially in times of “disaster,” I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.

Indeed there were many “helpers” who stepped up after the deadly blast at Manchester Arena left hundreds of individuals and families displaced. But the widespread invocation of Rogers’ words led to knew insight about the late children’s show host himself.

Rogers then shared a story about his own grandfather, whom he said he still missed decades after his passing.

“You’ll never stop missing the people you love,” he told Breznican.

When the two finally parted ways, Breznican apologized for having delayed Rogers’ appointment.

“Sometimes you’re right where you need to be,” Rogers replied.

Breznican currently works as a writer and radio host for Entertainment Weekly. This week, the entertainment news outlet reported that Twitch TV is running a “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” online marathon through the end of May. Because the world could use more people like Mr. Rogers, especially now.